The grand jewel of the Republic, Iria City.  It was pretty stellar what the mage's guild managed to do with the place.

Too bad they were all a bunch of stuffed-shirt-bigot-minded-muppetheads.

A small figure cloaked in shrouding, heavy garments and a hood pittered through the back streets of Iria, maintaining his furtive gait through the shadows.  He knew full well what the governing authorities would think of someone like him.  But it was time to take a stand.

Necromancy was such a misunderstood discipline, and these idiots running the Mage's College had absolutely no idea what to do with it.  At least to Ivacus Manaclaw, dark arts practitioner extraordinaire, they were imbeciles for refusing to consider its merits.  Zombies were cheaper than constructs, and it put otherwise useless bodies to good use in cheap labor!  So what if they could stink a little and they looked a little horrifying…since when had horryfing things ever held back the more "respectable" stuffed-shirt-magi from performing incredible feats before?  As the age old adage went (aka, the protest slogan he made up two days ago), "it doesn't matter how black your magic is, as long as you know how to use it." 

Besides, it wasn't like he was trying to tear down the world or anything…far from it!  All he'd wanted to do was join the stupid mage college to fill his mind up with some more knowledge.  And now here he was, forced to plan a protest just to get his rightful admission.  He would summon some of his faithful zombie companions with him of course, all holding lovely signs he wrote himself…it'd be beautiful, just beautiful, to see the looks on the stuffed shirts' faces when their minds got blown.  There would be so much paradigm shifting, that there would be no more paradigms left to shift.  And there wouldn't be any of these relic-like-stuffed-shirt-dumb-adminstrator-children left to shaft, either.

But for now, he was busy preparing, taking the long, back way around to get as close to the college as possible without being noticed, melding into the shadows between the towering buildings surrounding him to cover his tracks.  His plan was foolproof.

…At least, so he thought.

Araceli has been returning to her own home. For the most part, she wasn't paying all that much attention to what was going on around her. It was rather late and she was more concerned with getting home. Normally she didn't bother getting out on the streets at this hour but she didn't really have much of a choice in this case. She was returning back from someone who had required her services and they had paid well enough, for her not to complain about it too much in any case. It was likely what caused her to be a pleasant enough mood and more focused on her warm bed than people lurking in the street.

That was until she saw movement in the shadows. It was far too dark for her to see clearly who it might be and what they might be doing back there. She knew enough to know anyone who was behaving as they were, were not up to something wholesome and family-friendly, so to speak. She stopped and narrowed her eyes, hoping the light might be enough to at least get some sort of outline of the figure. She debated what she should do for a moment. The fact she has not been assaulted for seeing them lead her to believe they were not some sort of rabid murder, or if they were they were a half blind one, she clearly was not making an attempt to hide.

She moved towards the alley as close as she dared without making it clear what she was doing. If she were lucky her footfalls were not loud enough to alert him ..or her to the fact Araceli was watching them. For even their gender was any one's guess in the poor light.

It was a lovely night to fly. While Ryerles was perched atop Tenebrae, Morticia herself was keeping pace with the lazy swoops of the wyvern. They had been relatively silent as was the custom. While the succubus was throwing her arms in the air, fingers cutting ribbons through it, the pixie was enjoying feeling the wind on her face. It didn't matter how knotted her hair becomes, she liked the wild look it gave her. She closed her eyes with the bliss of the flight.

"Hey Morty, look at that!" Ryerles broke the silence, pointing down to an alley. Morticia gazed down, her momentum halted as she now fluttered her wings to hover in place. A wicked smile spread across her face, revealing relatively pointed canines. "Tenebrae, keep out of sight." Oh how this would be fun. As her wings were illuminated with a soft blue glow due to the moon, Morticia knew she would have to be tactful soon.

With a dive, the pixie flew into the alleyway. She followed the black cloaked figure for a long while in silence. When she no longer could contain her silence, she closed the distance quickly. Behind him Morticia giggled, the sound of bells echoing softly down the alley behind them. "What does the shadows guide you to?" the pixie asked. As the figure turned, she would stay behind him, staying as hidden as she possibly could.

Ivacus was already going through his head how he'd stick it to the College…maybe a bit of vandalism before the act itself would raise more attention to it, get more ears sympathetic to his plight…or he could just break his way in and steal some grimoires to make a statement.  I mean did they really need all their crappy books hoarded in one place, where the good warlocks and necromancers of the world were refused entry merely because of vocation?  It was utterly despicable in his eyes, and he was relishing the thought of taking what was rightfully his from the stuffed shirt pansies that called themselves scholars and mages.

However, it would seem that he wouldn't be able to get off doing so that easily.  A light whisper, like the whispering of a cool breeze and the burbling of a brook, accompanied by the tinkling of light bells ringing about his head, entered his ears as he froze.  The first thing that entered his mind was that someone had somehow found out about his plan and was ready to end him then and there.  Turning around as he peered into the darkness, he managed to make out the form of a strange woman…he assumed the voice came from her, as the pixie was skillfully evading his line of sight at the time.  Taking steps backwards slowly, he realized that he had to get out of there however he could…he ruminated over what dark arts he had learned from the Grimorium Necrotika he still carried around with him to this day, and was reminded of a spell that let him, in the book's words, "become one with the absence of light."  It would have to do for now, as there was nowhere to teleport to in this darkness and creating a gate to somewhere would take far too much time and energy.

With the knowledge of his ability to meld with shadow at the forefront of his mind, he spoke a few dark, esoteric phrases under his breath, letting him sank into the darkness around him, now more of a shadowy wisp with yellow eyes than a Kobold.  He attempted to flee as soon as he had succesfully taken his semi-ethereal form, but he only took two steps before finding himself looking right at a dead end that he couldn't see in the dark; he was stuck with this woman, whoever it was.  

Without turning around to see the pixie floating behind him, he slipped into his robes to grasp his wand tightly, in case he'd need it.  His form seemed to be bending and distorting in odd ways to both the pixie and the woman looking in his direction, as though his body was continuously morphing into some sort of dark fire before their very eyes.  They could just barely make him out even though he was standing stock still, but without his yellowish eyes gazing in their direction, it was incredibly hard to see him nonetheless.   "The shadows guide me to that business of which none of is yours," he said with a bit of a growl.  But with such a small body as its origin, it came out somehow being more cute than threatening.  

Lucius was in the college, attempting to enroll. He knew how reputable this place was, and if he wanted to improve his magical skills, he needed to start here. He was quite qualified for enrollment. The mage in charge of such things, however, was quite taken aback that a dragon wanted to join the college. "You're got amazing potential, and that's what scares me. This experience record alone could get you convicted for vigilantism, and by now we know better then to trust your kind. Look at this! You openly admit to us the robbery of a merchant involving 3000 silver, right before tossing it all out to the poor! Noble as that is, you could go to prison for that!" the mage said. Lucius knew this would happen. Do-gooder mage's college admins crying over a little charity. "Read the paragraph before that, my friend. That 'merchant' was a money launderer for a bandit gang, so that money was already stolen before I did anything. I did a public service, and yet the politics of this world suggest that I should leave such things to the government's enforcers, which had in fact been bribed in this instance to keep the launderer undisturbed. There was no moral support involved with me being a completest in abiding by the law." he said. The mage would still have none of it, and refused to admit him. Lucius walked out, thinking this over. This mage must be eliminated. If charisma alone won't get me in this college, strategy will. He noticed a mage that appeared to be sneaking around, and Lucius had guessed it was a Necromancer by how he was dressed. Necromancers were also rejected by the mage's college. Now was the time to get an ally to join him in a plan to get in the college without resistance. Ignoring the pixie and the human, he turned to it and said, "Hey, I think I have a way to get us both in this college. We just need to put a few things forth first."

The cloaked mystery guy turned around, missing the pixie as she continued to maneuver herself to be just behind him at all times. It was difficult to suppress her giggles, yet she managed to do it, hands clapped over her mouth tight to hold it in. Yet, he was spooked enough to cast a spell. She could feel the magic flow around him, shadows reaching out to obscure him from view.

Morticia knew he was unable to progress further, and wondered what he would do now that he had curiously cloaked himself with shadows as they writhed about him. As great as the spell was, she really did not like it at all. But this was fun nonetheless. He growled some kind of threat, which sounded rather adorable. This time, the bells bounced off the walls of the alley once more as she could not contain her giggles. Before she could form some response, however, someone new entered the scene.

She listened to the proposition, rather heatedly. How dare he completely ignore her! Yet, didn't she want to be unseen, a voice in the dark without a corporeal form? Morticia wondered if both of these apparent mages desired to enter the college. Why else would the shadow walker be sneaking about? She positioned herself to be hidden from both of them while staying very close to her shadow walker. "I am the shadows, all business is mine. The college is naught but air-heads. You, shadow walker, are better than they." Her bell like voice was soft as she attempted to stroke his ego. Little did she know they were both of the same field of magic.

Suddenly from some other direction, he was assaulted simultaneously by the sounds of bells and a self-confident voice.   Another intruder waltzed into the picture, coming out with some sort of hasty proposition about the mage's college…what was going on?  Was this some kind of strange sting operation meant to entrap him in some sort of incriminating statement?  He was certainly confused now, more than anything, flustered even.  Or perhaps this was an elaborate rused concocted by a thieves' guild somewhere in town, set to scramble the brains out of people enough to take their money without them even noticing it.  Whatever it was, he didn't like this many people around him.  Though he was pushing himself further into the dead end at the end of the alley, he allowed the full capabilities of his shadow melding to be known: with a strange distortion of his form, he billowed like smoke at great speed into that dead end, putting some distance between those who entreated his company and himself, as he drew his wand.  

"Who are all of you!?  What do you want!?"

Though he had gotten away from them, the next voice he heard was still as close as ever, right next to his ears no less.  How she was the shadows and all that…and a little compliment to boot.  He had to admit, he would certainly see himself as better than any of the stuffed shirts in the academy.  But they had knowledge, technique, and practice, none of which he had, which he wanted.  It was as simple as that.  But he assumed he would have to answer this strange voice if he was ever to be rid of it or understand its source any time soon.

He could lie…but he had already ascertained an escape route in his head if these people happened to be authorities.  It was safest, if he was amongst the gallery of rogues he belonged with, to tell the truth…that he was a part of their ranks.  Otherwise he risked a battle with potentially dangerous mages.

"Hmmph…the College denies me knowledge on the sheer basis that I raise dead.  I have mastered the Grimorium Nekrotika in its near-entirety…but I want to learn more.  And yet, they're…they're…stupid-feeble-brained-half-wit-stuffed-shirt-lunatics that don't recognize someone who just wants to learn!  They insulted necromancy to its face for no reason other than it being some sort of "black art!"  For all of their knowledge, they haven't a drop of common sense among the lot!  Zvarri!" he finished, the Koboldese curse escaping his mouth as he opened up about what was going on with relative ease. 

He still had his wand drawn, though it was nearly impossible to see with his body so intensely obscured.  He was ready for a fight if need be, but in truth he'd rather flee into the night to try his little scheme another day.  He hadn't anything to prove to these people…hopefully they wouldn't have to make him.

She had been watching the kobald on and off all day, and Sylvi found herself quite curious about him.  It wasn't until he starting cursing at the mages of the college did she decide to make a move.  She happened to agree with him, and wanted to help.  She had also found a way into the college that might be helpful to him, and she had no qualms about causing trouble.  Plus he, and the companion he was speaking to, were both close to her size in her natural form, so all three could easily sneak into where she had in mind.  Plus it was far more entertaining to cause trouble with company.

Strolling up casually in her feline form, Sylvi was a bit larger than the average housecat, but her silky black fur and impossibly green eyes made it clear she was anything but.  Then the cat opened her mouth and spoke.  "I think the three of us might be able to help each other.  I'm seeking a tome within the library… but I cannot search for it, and keep an eye out for the stuffed-shirts that would keep that knowledge away from myself and others," the cat said, sitting a small distance away in case she had to run.  But Sylvi was fairly confident that these two wouldn't harm her.  "Besides, I know a way in that they've forgotten about, and we can have a little fun with the mages.  I'm Sylvi by the way," she added, dipping her head in lieu of a bow. 

He seemed to become more scared as more people approached him. Not that Morticia could blame him. while her small, lithe body could easily hide in crowded areas, it was easier for anyone to rip her wings right from her back. Pixie wings were a commodity, highly sought after by witches who use them in potions and the like. However, the faster he ran into the alley, the harder it was to see him, and the more difficult it was to follow undetected. This shadow-walker was making her work for her enjoyment tonight.

Yet one statement he mentioned struck a cord of intrest in her. Necromancer! While she tried to formulate her response, throwing one thought out then another, a new creature approached him in the form of a feline. Morticia was in open view of the cat, so when it said the three of them helping one another, she was given her full attention. Oh, how the pixie grinned as she shot for what she suspected was the shadow-walker's head, keeping behind him so that she could whisper in his ear while remaining unseen by him.

"Fear not, little shadow walker. You are in safe company. Let us go in and teach them a thing or two about Necromancy being a proper school of magic." Her giggles bounced off the walls of the alley once more, the image of skeletons wreaking havoc in their library just sounded like so much fun. When she spoke again, her voice was a at regular level, so that she may address Sylvi as well. "You may call me Morticia. Your desires sound amusing. Count my services at your disposal."